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SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The US Air Force was expected to announce Tuesday that it has approved a plan to base its new F-35 fighter plane at Burlington International Airport despite complaints that the planes would be too noisy and pose a risk to the community, a city councilor said Tuesday.

Rosanne Greco, who is also a retired Air Force colonel, said she was informed of the decision and had seen a draft of the Pentagon’s Record of Decision approving the planes in Vermont. She opposes placement of the plane at the airport.

Opponents have already said they had retained a lawyer and would file a lawsuit if the Air Force chose the airport.

‘‘The Air Force decision to select Burlington will not stop the campaign to stop the F-35,’’ said opponent Richard Joseph. ‘‘It will make building the campaign against the basing all the more important.’’

The Air Force liked the Burlington site because of its location in the Northeast and its uncongested air space for training flights. Officials also noted the Vermont Air National Guard had an advantage over sites in South Carolina and Florida because transition costs at Burlington would be lower.

The main complaint from opponents was the noise the new airplanes would make and the location of the airport, situated near homes. Some feared the health effects and possible loss of property values.

Opponents also noted concerns about possible crashes and liability. City Attorney Eileen Blackwood said there was no liability in case of an accident, but the city did buy a $5 million policy to protect against lawsuits stemming from airport-related issues.

In South Burlington, the airport’s host city, councilors voted in July in favor of the F-35, reversing an earlier decision. The Winooski City Council voted in July to oppose the plan.

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger; Gov. Peter Shumlin; US Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., had said the plane is important to the state’s economy.

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